Never after
by ii.89
Summary: AU:Isabella finds Captain Edward Masen wounded from battle in the forest, she takes him home to nurse him back to health. He falls for her, but Will his family come looking for him and destroy everything. R&R!


Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Chapter one.

**EBOV**

Sweat was running down the small of my back, my forehead was damp and sticky as a bullet flew past my head. I wiped my brow with my sleeve and a gave a low whistle. That was close. I peeked over the log, that I was crouched behind, trying to get a better view of the enemy. I raised my body up slightly and before I knew what was happening, six shots were fired directly at me, one ball after another. Before I could duck down, I felt a bullet shave past me. The whistle of it startled me as it slug and blistered my arm. I slapped my hand on my right arm and quickly ducked down behind the log and groaned. My heart was beating faster than I ever thought possible, beads of sweat formed upon my brow as I realized what a close call I just had.

"Captain Masen? Are you all right?" asked Jasper. He's a good man, He'll be a great leader one day.

I let out a groan and looked at the blood on the palm of my hand, "I'll live."

Jasper pulled a handkerchief from his back pocket, and tied it around my arm, to ease the bleeding. I was leaning against a hard rock. The pain was shooting down my whole arm.

How did I get us in this mess in the first place? I tried so hard to keep the peace with these people, but all was in vain. They would call us "cowards" and "women," taunting us and trying to get us to fight. Now we are cowering behind boulders and trees.

_Why hadn't I see__n this coming? I should have kno__w__n__ better. I only had sixty men in my troop,__ but __I hoped that we could take some __prisoners. I__ shouldn't have put my men in danger. I just want__ed__ one more victory._

I need to stop self loathing; I need my senses so I can give the right orders to my men

I peeked over the log once more there were only four men coming after us now and they were getting closer.

"Whitlock you need to get out of here!"

"What about you?" he asked. I'm not going to endanger him anymore, he need to get out while there was still time.

"I'm not going anywhere; it's my fault you're in this mess. Save yourself, it's me that they want."

"Captain Masen, you're a great leader. You did what you thought was best, none of us saw this coming. I'm not leaving you here to die!"

Why must he be so stubborn?

I used my good arm to pull out my gun and pointed it at him, "leave now or I'll make you leave."

He's face was pained. I knew what he was thinking, he was questioning if I was telling the truth our not. So I pulled back the hammer of my gun, "call me a liar."

I could tell he was holding back tears, as was I,

"you'll be a great leader one day." I told him, I lifted my arm up and saluted him. He did the same then took off running away from the adversary.

I have worked too hard in my life to be killed by a bunch of scoundrels, I needed a plan. I decided to fight or go down trying. It was simple and easy to remember. I positioned myself behind the same log as before. Live or die, I was completely content with whatever might happen. I peeked over the log and saw four men.

_Wait until you see the whites of their eyes._

When they got close enough I blasted myself up and stated shooting. Bullets where flying by me, but I kept shooting. I hit three of the men without a problem. The fourth was still running toward me. He fired a few more shots one hitting me in my shoulder. He must have run out of bullets because he grabbed his sword out. Even with the agonizing pain I was feeling, I smiled. By some unexplained miracle I made out of this alive, for now.

I cranked back the hammer of my gun one last time and fired. When the man went down, I collapsed onto the ground. I couldn't take the pain, it was unbearable, I was going to die. I thought back on my life at that moment.

I will miss my dear sweet sister Alice. She always had so much energy. She is the most genuine women I know; I wish I could be more like her. Because of my pride I was going to die, and nobody will know I was gone and nobody will miss me.

I don't have a wife, I was due to marry Rosalie when I returned home from this battle. I never loved her, it was an arranged marriage. Both our fathers were very rich. They considered us their property, with us married their names will live on. Rose was just as selfish as her father, with me as her husband; she could be the most powerful women in the country.

I must have been dying because before everything went black I saw an angle standing over me. She was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. She had brown hair and the deepest brown eyes.. Then the angel spoke, her voice was like music to my ears, she was shouting something I couldn't understand. I wanted to say something, anything. I wanted to scream but no words were coming out.

She stroked my cheek, "shh, just relax everything is going to be alright." Then everything went black.

**BPOV**

Father and I were walking out in the forest. It was something we did once a week. We were walking hand in hand then father spoke of unpleasant things, "Isabella when will you except Mr. Williams as your betrothed?"

I dropped his hand, "Father I don't want to marry him, I'll be damned it I do!"

"It's your duty to marry him, Isabella you must."

"It's my duty to marry someone I do not love?" I was shouting at my father now. Some time ago Mr. Williams' father helped mine out of some trouble, as long as I would marry his son.

"Yes." was all he said, his voice was stern, he did not like it when I raised my voice to him. Just then I heard a series of gun shots. There was a long pause then one more was fired, then nothing. Just silence.

"Father, what was that?" I asked in the most anxious voice.

"We need to leave Isabella," my father said, "it's too dangerous." I couldn't leave someone could be hurt.

"No," I told him, "we cannot, what if someone needs our help?"

"It's none of your business Isabella, you must learn you place." He grabbed my wrist at an attempt to drag me home.

I pulled away from his grasp; I started running toward the area I heard the gunshots. There I saw a man laying on the ground. He was badly wounded. He looked like he was dying. I lifted up my skirts and rushed to his side. He was still breathing. He was the most gorgeous man I have ever seen. He had piercing green eyes, his skin was pale, most likely from the blood he was losing, but he was still beautiful. I couldn't just let him die.

"Father quick!"

I looked down on the man, he looked like he was trying to say something. His face was in so much pain, it was killing me.

I stroked his cheek, "shh, just relax everything is going to be alright."

Soon father was by my side, "oh dear."

"we have to save him father!" I was almost in tears. I couldn't understand why I cared so much about this man. I didn't even know him.

"Calm down Isabella, we need to slow the bleeding." I looked up at him with worried eyes, I hate blood more than anything. He pushed me aside. Being away from the injured man pained me I ways I cannot explain, this worried me. My father ripped part of his shirt off and tied it around his arm. There was a bullet still in his shoulder.

"We need to remove the bullet from his shoulder," he waved me over, "I need you to hold him down."

I shook my head, "Father, I can't."

"You must! If you don't he will die!" I took a deep breath and sat behind the man. I lifted him up onto my lap. I placed my arms around his neck. My father took out his pocket knife, he whipped off the blade as well as he could. He placed the knife over the wounded man's shoulder.

"Be sure to hold him still." He told me. I nodded my head. He dug the knife into the man's shoulder twisting out the bullet.

The man arched his back and screamed in pain. I tighten my grip on him. I couldn't bear to hear him scream, it was like a million needles were going through my body. I would give anything to take away his pain. My father wrapped more of his shirt around his shoulder.

"He'll be fine for now, we need to get him to a doctor."

I stroked my hand through his hair, "Everything is going to be alright. Just stay with me," I whispered, "stay with me."

We carried him all the way to Dr. Cullen, he's the best doctor in town. We rushed inside is office, "Dr. Cullen we need your assistance, we found him badly wounded, Please help!" I yelled.

"Alright, put him over there on the table, and do hurry." He waved is hand in the direction of the table. "He's losing a lot of blood."

Father placed him carefully on the table.

"I will need you to leave." Dr. Cullen told us. Once again I felt a pain my chest for having to leave him. Father and I waited outside for what seemed like hours. Dr. Cullen finally came from the room. I held my breath waiting for his answer.

"He'll live, but you will have to keep a very close eye on him. He is very weak."

I turned toward father, "we must take him home with us, he needs us."

"Isabella I don't have time to care for this man."

"You won't have to, I will." My father shook his head in defeat. I smiled inwardly.

"Thank-you Dr. Cullen, you really are as good as they say."

He smiled, "You're welcome Isabella, take good care of him now, I'll come by in a few weeks to check up on him."

Father carried him to our small home by the country side. We didn't have much, but we were happy. He laid the man in our guest bedroom. Father told me to stay with him until he woke up. I sat beside his bed just staring at his perfect features, even in a cold sweat he was perfect. He began to stir, his eye flickered open.

"Where am I? Who are you?" He asked.

"I'm Isabella, you are in my house. I found you wounded in the forest. What's your name sir?"

"I'm Edward Masen." His voice was horse, he needed to stop talking.

"Sleep now Mr. Masen, you're safe." He shut his eyes slipping back into dreamland.

_Edward what a lovely name._

* * *

**Review please. I don't know if I should continue.** **Tell me how this stroy reminds you have your cat mincus. i dont know anything would be helpful**

if you have a better idea for a title let me know.

**I guess you should know a few things.**

Dr. Cullen is not Edwards father.

Edward is human

Both Edward and Bella are due to be married to someone else. scandal!!


End file.
